Lakhdar Brahimi

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News about Lakhdar Brahimi, including commentary and archival articles published in The New York Times.

Chronology of Coverage

May. 14, 2014

International efforts to end the war in Syria falter further as United Nations mediator Lakhdar Brahimi resigns his post and France cites evidence that Syrian government has used chemical weapons more than a dozen times since signing treaty banning them; events come amid signs of disarray in Western coalition and concern that diplomatic solution may not emerge. MORE

Mar. 15, 2014

Lakhdar Brahimi, Syria mediator for the United Nations, is scheduled to go to Tehran to urge Iran to help in peace talks on Syria. MORE

Mar. 14, 2014

Lakhdar Brahimi, United Nations mediator who has sought negotiations in Syrian war, says holding elections there would doom prospects for future talks by negating need for interim government, central tenet of negotiations; comments come as Syria draws closer to scheduling national polls. MORE

Nov. 5, 2013

United Nations special envoy Lakhdar Brahimi's mission to start Syrian peace talks has proved to be among the most stubborn of the many conflicts he has mediated on behalf of the UN; Brahimi refuses to stop talking about peace talks, despite the difficulties he has faced, which include the fact that neither side in the conflict seems interested in participating. MORE

Jan. 11, 2013

Syrian government denounces Lakhdar Brahimi, special envoy of United Nations and Arab League, calling him 'flagrantly biased,' even as his efforts aimed at political transition to end nearly two-year-old Syrian conflict are accelerating; statement appears to be response to remarks Brahimi made in which he suggested that Pres Bashar al-Assad must relinquish power and can not be part of any replacement government in Syria. MORE

Dec. 31, 2012

Lakhdar Brahimi, international envoy to Syria, warns at news conference at Arab League headquarters in Cairo that if fighting continues, it could lead to 100,000 deaths in next year and territorial free-for-all in country in absence of political solution. MORE

Dec. 28, 2012

International peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi says transitional Syrian government with full executive authority should be established, perhaps within months, and should rule the country until elections can be held. MORE

Dec. 25, 2012

Special envoy Lakhdar Brahimi presents Syrian Pres Bashar al-Assad with plan to end civil war, while Russia accelerates efforts to evacuate its diplomats and other expatriates. MORE

Dec. 7, 2012

Lakhdar Brahimi, United Nations special envoy on Syria, is mounting diplomatic push for brokered agreement that would lead to ouster of Pres Bashar al-Assad and installation of transitional government; Brahimi, who has support of United States, outlines details of plan after meeting with Sec of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Russian Foreign Min Sergey V Lavrov in Dublin; announcement comes amid fears that Assad may be considering using chemical weapons. MORE

Oct. 25, 2012

Lakhdar Brahimi, envoy trying to broker peace deal in Syria, announces seemingly unlikely cease-fire to mark Id al-Adha, main Muslim holiday of year, and United Nations Security Council unanimously endorses his effort; numerous do-it-yourself aspects of plan, notably its voluntary nature, immediately call into question whether it will stop any fighting. MORE

Oct. 16, 2012

Lakhdar Brahimi, new Syria peace envoy from United Nations and Arab League, elists Iran's help in effort to negotiate cease-fire in observance of three-day holiday Id al-Adha, in hopes that religious reprieve could become basis for dialogue. MORE

Sep. 25, 2012

Syria's new peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi tells the United Nations Security Council that prospects for any settlement in the Syrian conflict remain dismal, but not impossible. MORE

Sep. 16, 2012

Lakhdar Brahimi, new United Nations peace envoy to Syria, says, after meeting with Syrian Pres Bashar al-Assad, that he has not yet formulated a plan to address that country's escalating violence. MORE

Sep. 15, 2012

International peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi is scheduled to meet with Syrian Pres Bashar al-Assad in effort to end the longstanding conflict, which has killed thousands. MORE

Sep. 14, 2012

United Nations-Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi, tasked with ending Syria's civil war, says conflict is worsening and ending it will be 'nearly impossible.' MORE

Sep. 3, 2012

Rebels set off two bombs amid a cluster of military headquarters buildings in the Syrian capital of Damascus, as the new United Nations envoy for Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, pointedly refuses to call for Pres Bashar al-Assad to give up power. MORE

Aug. 18, 2012

Syrian insurgents in Aleppo seize areas near its airport, threatening government's control of a strategically vital supply conduit and scoring a propaganda victory in protracted battle in Syria's largest metropolis; Aleppo fighting, as well as heavy clashes in Damascus area, come as United Nations and the Arab League appoint Lakhdar Brahimi to succeed Kofi Annan as special envoy to Syria. MORE

February 15, 2014, Saturday

The United Nations top official for emergency operations said the cease-fire in Homs — the only achievement from peace talks — cannot be considered “progress,” and aid workers should be able to do their work without getting shot.